Aeronautics.



I. E. IVIcCABE.

AERUNAUTICS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. II. ISIS. LYAI. Patented May 22, 1917.

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AERoNAuncs. I APPLICATION FILED APR. II. 1913- Patented May 22 mmm@ m nM V mm Y 9 6 w Q hnuhhuuhwhhhh" l y IIIIIII nnuuuhn l 0 .,...,...IH.| k,.Hn J M 6 0 v 5 W, me l K TI W I I H, l

the Hight ofan aeroplane.

' IRA EMIVIETT MUGABE, OF LEXINGTON, NEBRASKA..

AERONAUTICS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led April 11, 1913. Serial No. 760,396;

To all whom it may concer/n.:

Be it known that I, IRA EMMETT Mo- CABE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lexington, in the county of Dawson and State of Nebraska,have invented'new and useful Improvements in Aeronautics, of which thefollowing is a specication.

This invention relates to improvements in aeronautics, and moreparticularly to a simple and eihcient means for controlling It is theobject of this invention to so construct an aeroplane that its lateral,horizontal and vertical movements maybe completely controlled by theactuation of independently operable control planes arranged on each sideof the main planes equi-distant from the vertical center thereof andahead of the center of gravity. ,It is a further object of thisinvention to provide the main planes with a following and steadyingplane rigidly supported from .the main planes which will have therequired amount of lift with the minimum resistance to the turningmovement of the 4main planes.

The advantages of this construction are obvious. In the usual type ofaeroplane the ascending and descending lmovements are regulated by oneor more horizontal planes for this purpose only usually arrangedcentrally of the longitudinal axis and forward of the main planes, Lthehorizontal direction beingregulated by a separately operable verticallrudder usually at the rear, and the lateral stability effected byailerons usually arranged on each side of the main planes and connectedto actin unison, thus necessitating three separate regulating means,

' while in the present invention all three of these results are producedby a single separately actuated control.

While the preferred form of this invention is illustrated upon theaccompanying sheets of drawing, yet it is to be understood that minordetail 'changes may be made therein without departing from the -scopethereof.

Figure l'is a view in perspective of an aeroplane in iiight, constructedin accordance with this invention, approaching at an angle.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in rear perspective with the uppermain plane removed illustrating the connections for actuating one of thecontrol planes.

To attain the results of this invention the control planes should be ofsufficient size,

arranged equidistant on each side of theV vertical center of the mainplanes, and forward of the center of gravity of the entire machine andmay be placed in any position desired so long as they satisfy theseconditions, and it is also necessary that the following and steadyingplane be rigidly secured to the main plane possessing sucient lift tofull its requirements and at the same time offer the minimum amount ofresistance to the turning movement of the main plane in the horizontal.While a particular shape of main plane is illustrated, yet it is to beunderstood that this controlling mechanism can be applied to any otherform of monoplane, biplane and polyplane if the control planes areplaced in the relation above stated and the following and steadyingplane 'answers the' requirements necessary to this invention.

This vinvention is illustratedv as applied to a biplane having thegreatest width in the direction of. travel. main supporting planes 1 and2 are of rectilinear shape withV their narrowest edges secured .togetherand theirlongest edges spaced apart at the center, so that the mainplanes in front elevation appear to form an open ellipse. The bodies ofthe upper and lower main planes are of usual construction and providedlwith the usual covering. The curved relation of the twosurfaces to eachother is maintained by struts 3 between the front edges of the planesand similar struts 4 between the lrear edges of .the planes arranged oneachv side of the verticalcenter and a similar pair of struts 5 and 6arranged preferably two-thirds the distance om the center to the sideedges of the main planes. The necessary diagonal bracing ofthe wire isalso provided. v

The following and steadying plane 7 comprises upper andV lowerrectilinear supporting surfaces similar to the main planes having theirshortest edges secured together and centrally spaced apart with theirlongest edges arranged parallel with the longest edges of the mainplanes presenting an open ellipse to the direction of travel. Thefollowing and steadying plane is rigidly secured by suitable braces 8 tothe main planes in such a manner that the relation of the following andsteadying plane to the main plane is such that when the machine israteataa nay aa, tara l As illustrated, the-V traveling horizontally thecenter of gravity a'nd 'the center of pressure coincide.

The controlling or steering is produced by mounting at the forward endof each meeting ed e of the main planes a control plane 9 pre erably ofrectangular shape with the longest edge parallel to and of equal lengthto the meeting edge of the main planes and preferablyone-half thewidth.V

ach control plane is preferably mounted upon a central, transverse shaft10 mounted in bearings between the meeting edges of the main planes andextending inward 'to bearings upon the adjacent forward strut 5.Adjacent to thestrut 5 an angular actuating member 11 is rigidly securedto the control planeshaft. Preferably mounted on la transverse shaft 12secured between the fore and aft set of middle cross pieces 13 of thelower main plane are placed separate operating levers 14 each connectedto the adjacent control plane.4 The lower end of each actuating member11 is connected by a cable 15 vpassing through pulleys 16 Aon theforward struts 5 and 3 on each side of the vertical center to theforward edge of the adjacent operating lever 14 with anleading fromthemiddle struts 3 and 4 to the lever 14 are'preferably provided with/plane being a turnbuckle 20 or other take-up means whereby the cablesmay be constantly kept taut and properly adjusted.

It is preferable to construct the main plane in the form of an openellipse, as

shown, which allows of triangular construction of greater strength thanthe separated parallel planes, and when in flight the rib-4 bon of airpassing'through the'curved surfaces of the open ellipse adds to thestability and substantially overcomes the tendency of the machine toside-slip. The construction of' 'the following and steadying in the formof an open el pse.

' produces a sulicient lift to steady the main plane and as the surfacesmeet at each end will allow of a turning movement of the main planeinthe horizontal with the least amount of resistance or drag. Theoperating levers for the control planes are preferably mounted to movein the direction of flight and are arranged on each side ofthe operatorso as to be readily grasped one in each hand. As aforesaid the relationof the following and .steadying plane to the main plane is such that themachine will travel control planes are in a neutral position offering nopressure up or down. To cause the machine to ascend both levers aremoved rearward which will cause the entering edge of each control planeto rise so that the air will strike the under surfaces thereof movingthe center of pressure ahead of the cen- 'ter of gravity causing themachine to ascend evenly. If it is desired to'descend the levers areeach moved forward which will cause the entering edge of the controlplanes to be depressed below the horizontal so that the air will strikethe upper inclined surfaces thereof producing pressure from above,moving the center of -pressure behind the center of gravity and causethe machine to descend.l In order to turn the machine in eitherdirection during Hight the lever on the inside of 'the turn is movedforward which will decrease the lifting of that control plane andincrease the head resistance on. that side. The other control plane isbrought to a neutral position or nearly so and remains stationary inthat position during the turn. If a turn is desired in' the oppositedirection the method is reversed. When the machine tips to 'either side4from any cause during Hight, it is immediately righted by raising theentering edge of the control plane on the low side and lowering in thehorizontal when the surfaces of the I the entering edge of the controlplane on l ythe high side until the machine is righted and then thecontrol planes are both brought back to 'the position occupied beforethe tipping movement occurred.

It is to be understood that an engine and one or more propellers of anydesired type may be applied to this machine with the propeller either tothe front or rear as desired, so long as the relations above specifiedare retained.

Since the center of gravity and the center of pressure are at thesamepoint when the machine is in horizontal flight andas the vcontrol planesare forward the center of gravity, it is readily seen that should theengine become stalled the operator can easily volplane t o ately movingthe operating-levers forward the necessary pressure upon the, undersurfaces of the control planes for ascending is the earth, because byimmedicommon'axis'at right angles to the direction 130 single -controlfor the of Hight, said control planes being arranged equidistant on eachside of the center ofthe main planes and forward of the Center ofgravity of the aeroplane.

2. In an aeroplane, rigid main supporting planes, a following andsteadying plane comprising upper and lower plane surfaces broughttogether at their ends presenting an open ellipse to the direction oftravel rlgidly secured to the main planes, and a lateral, horizontal andvertical movements ,of 'the aeroplane comprising two separately operablecoacting of flight, said control control planes mounted on shafts havinga common axis at right angles to the direction planes being arrangedequidistant on each side of the center of the mainplanes and forward ofthe center of gravity of the aeroplane.

3. In an aeroplane, rigid main supporting planes. a following andsteadying plane rigidly secured'thereto of such relation that inhorizontal flight the centers of pressure and gravity ofthe aeroplaneare at the same point, and a single control for the lateral, horizontaland vertical movements of the aeroplane comprising two control planesmounted on shafts having a common axis at right angles to the directionof flight arranged equidistant at each side of the center and exteriorof the sides of the main planes and forward of the center of gravity ofthe aeroplane, said main and supporting planes comprising a plurality ofmembers joined to form an ellipse open to the direction of travel, andseparate means for operating the control planes independently of eachother to cause them to coact in controlling the movement of theaeroplane. v

4. In an aeroplane, upper and lower main -steadying plane surfacesbrought together 'at their ends presenting an open ellipse to thedirection of travel, and a following and plane of similar constructionrlgidly secured thereto of such relation to the main plane that inhorizontal flight the centers of pressure and gravity of the aeroplanecoincide, control planes arranged equidistant on each side of the centerof the main planes and forward of the said center 'of gravity, andseparate means for operating each control plane independently of theother for solely controlling the lateral, horizontal and verticalmovements of the aeroplane.

5. In an aeroplane, upper and lower main plar.: surfaces broughttogether at their ends presenting an open ellifpse to the direction oftravelA and a ollowing and steadying plane of similar constructionrigidly secured thereto of such relation that in horizontalfight thecenters of pressure and gravity of the aeroplane coincide, a controlplane on each side exterior of the meeting edge of the main planecentrally mounted upon a horizontal shaft passing through the forwardend of each meeting edge of the main plane, a bearin for the inner endof each shaft arrangedg intermediate the entering edges of the mainplane, an actuating member upon each shaft, an operating lever for eachcontrol plane, and a means of connectiony between each lever and theadjacent control plane whereby all movements of the aeroplane duringiiight are controlled by said levers.

IRA EMMEIT MCCABE.

Witnesses:

A. M. PARKINS, F. P. MCCABE.-

